FOLKS......to me this is one of the coolest posts and conversation i've ever seen on here. Alot of those things i already do but those are sometimes the best to read cause it reenforces your idea that you were doin it right , i also learned some things which happens everry day on here and i've been doin this for over 50 years......YOU FOLKS R GREAT........My addition is this , in the early season , you know how a wooly bugger will sometimes float or ride high for a few casts till it gets wet? try laying it in a little patch of mud and lightly put your foot on it and press it in a little those first three or so casts have mud trailing from the fly and sometimes it's POW!!!!

At times, my loop to loop connection between my leader and fly line hangs up in my top guide. I was always afraid of snapping my tip getting it out. 9ft rod with a 9ft leader puts it right under the top guide. I now run my leader back around my reel and the hook into my hook keeper. Eliminates the problem and keeps the connection outside the guides at all times.

Another way to retrieve a fly from a tree above you is to pull in all the slack till the tip is tight to the bend of the fly and quickly/snappy give a lil push. Be carefull , rods break and thats not good but this will work in certain situations. This also works on small streamws under water but be carefull.

one I try to follow, when arriving at fishing spot, I get dressed first, and assy the rod and reel last, once assy, lean somewhere safe, NOT near open car door or t-gate. after fishing, the rod and reel are put away FIRST.don't know how many times I've read about rods being broken in car doors, trunks, t-gates, or driving off and forgetting them!!!!

I have trouble seeing to tie small flies on. So I use a needle threader. I put the fly on the threader through the eye of the hook and run the tippet through just like your threading a needle. Works great for me. It also helps in cold weather if my hands are shaking.I also keep most of my small fly's already stacked on threaders so I don't have to mount them on the threader at the stream. I will keep maybe 6 or so stacked on each threader.

A guide in Idaho showed me this neat trick for when your leader slides down past the rod tip and into the guides of your fly rod. Put the tip of the fly rod a few inches underwater with the remaining portion of leader on the water. Sweep the tip in a wide arc in one swift motion. The rod tip will flex and the friction from the water will easily pull the leader and fly line back out through the guide and tip.

When transporting your rod after you've rigged it up to fish, hook the fly on the guide above the stripping guide and loop the line over the frame of your reel. When you are in position to cast again, just take the line off your reel frame, smack the top of the rod handle with your hand and the fly will drop onto the water with enough line out of the tip to begin casting.

For streamers on sink tips:

Roll cast before begining your first back cast. It wont feel like trying to pull a brick out of the water. Also, learn the Snap T and Double Spey casts

For packs and whatnot:

Tape down your excess strap materials after you have adjusted the pack to fit you. Less stuff for line to get snagged on, and it wont loosen up.

For casting flies under cover:

Side arm cast low to the water and skip the fly off the surface under the target cover like you are trying to skip a stone.

When casting down stream to cover:

Stand in the middle of the stream, cast to open water upstream of the target and throw a huge mend in the direction of the cover, the fly will swing into the covered area. When you need to pick up after the drift, mend towards the center of the stream and the fly will swing out of the covered area.

Here's one I forgot to mention. Buy one of those magnetic rod holders to keep your rod upright and against your car. Mine has been on the car for several years, so far nobody has swiped it. This keeps the rod away from doors and roof tops.

Posted on: 2013/11/13 15:44

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The fishing was so poor, even the liars didn't catch anything.

I care about my rods and reels, not so much about my waders and boots past cleaning them (probably why they leak), flies (I can tie more), packs (don't have any, just a chest box)...

I care about my truck. I for dang sure ain't getting mud on the floor by putting the floor mat out on the ground to stand on, or putting a magnetic rod holder on the exterior, all the while scratching the paint underneath the magnet.

Posted on: 2013/11/13 16:52

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afishinado wrote:

I find you very confrontational, offensive and have never seen more a glass-half-empty attitude.